


a fairytale kiss

by jeonghoneys



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: 30k long story with no end in sight, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Knight Minho, M/M, Prince Hyunjin, by his knight in shining armour, he's waiting to be rescued, hyunjin is a prince locked up in a tower, i watched shrek and the idea for this sprung, im really proud of this i think it's very cute, inspired by shrek kinda, into my mind fully formed, kind of, like athena springing from zeus' head, luv u lily, shoutout to lily because she's the one i screamed about this to mostly, so many italics oh my god, sorry the others aren't really mentioned haha, star eyes @ minho intensify, the reason this is so short is because if i didn't hold myself back this would've become another
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:49:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27079870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeonghoneys/pseuds/jeonghoneys
Summary: When Hwang Hyunjin woke up this morning, he didn't expect today to be any different. His plan was to wake up, lounge around in bed for an hour and dream of being rescued, get up, maybe bake some bread, practice some dancing, dream of being rescued, press some flowers and then maybe dream of being rescued. Nothing out of the ordinary, you see, just a normal day - which is why he's so very surprised when he hears someone climbing up to his window.(Hyunjin is a prince who's been waiting for his knight in shining armour to rescue him for quite a while now.)
Relationships: Hwang Hyunjin/Lee Minho | Lee Know
Comments: 34
Kudos: 109





	a fairytale kiss

**Author's Note:**

> okay so i know i said i had a minsung in the works, but consider this, your honour - the minsung is at 37k and they're not even in love yet. maybe in 24878597 years it will be done and i will release it to the world.  
> i watched shrek with the family on thursday and it's like the spirit of shrek possessed me or something, while i was writing this, it got done so fast. which is good because i wrote this instead of a story i was supposed to write for this competition for school.

Hyunjin would love to say that he is awakened on the morn of his rescue by a Feeling deep within himself that _today is the day_ his life will finally begin, because there is nothing more romantic than Feelings and Just Knowing That Your True Love Is Almost Here. Sadly, Hyunjin is woken the same way he always is - by songbirds fluttering around his head, brushing him lightly with their wings, his own personal angelic chorus, there to ease him into the beginning of every day.

So, the morning of Hyunjin's rescue dawns just like any other. He wakes to the sound of birdsong expanding until it fills all the crevices of his tower, then bursts out of the window and into the surrounding area. The birds flit about his wardrobe as the squirrels bound up onto his goosedown pillows, wielding his hairbrush and a pile of freshly plucked flowers. Hyunjin groans and pulls his blanket back over his head.

The thing about having woodland animals wake you up is that they invariably like to start their days at the crack of dawn. Hyunjin, however, does _not_ like to rise with the sun; something he argues about with the creatures often. They always retaliate by having the rabbits come up and thump his bed-frame so energetically that he bounces right out of bed and onto the floor. 

‘Ugh,’ Hyunjin groans, rubbing his elbow and he picks himself up off the floor. He’s pretty sure that banging his elbow painfully is enough of an excuse for a prince to sound discontented, and it’s not like there’s anyone around to berate him for it, in any case. 

Now that he’s up, the birds help him into one of his favourite shirts, white, billowy sleeves and a lace-up front. The squirrels weave the flowers into his hair, chittering the whole time. Behind him, the rabbits make his bed, tucking the sheets back in and plumping his pillows. Hyunjin thanks them all and starts another boring day.

Since he gave the birds what was left of his last loaf of bread, Hyunjin gets out the ingredients for another loaf and starts making his breakfast. One of the squirrels hops up on the counter next to the dough and hands him a sprig of rosemary. The squirrel is right, Hyunjin thinks, thanking the squirrel - maybe he _will_ stud the top of the loaf with rosemary this time. After all, he’s got all the time in the world to experiment.

Hyunjin sets aside the dough to rise and moves to the centre of his room. What will he do today? He could practice some dance while the bread is rising, perhaps, and then while it’s baking he can go and find some flowers to dry and press, or he could work on his sewing, or he could lounge about dreaming of his rescue, and hoping for it to finally happen - the options are endless.

Hyunjin chooses dancing, and he’s just doing some stretches when he hears it. Grunting. Coming from just below his window. Hyunjin freezes. Surely not? Surely there isn’t someone climbing up his tower? Is today finally _the day_? Is he dreaming? The burn in his legs from the stretch he’s frozen in says no. Hyunjin rushes to the window, thankful that he leaves the shutters open all the time to let his creatures in, and peers down. There, quite a bit below the window, is a knight in full-body armour, reaching slow hand above slow hand, making their way up towards the windowsill. A deep blue plume nods on the top of their helmet, bouncing as they make their way up. 

The knight appears to be making use of the hand- and foot-holds Hyunjin had carved into the stones of his tower last winter, when he was particularly bored. Good. That means they’ll be up soon.

Oh, heavens, they’ll be _up soon_ \- and Hyunjin isn’t even vaguely prepared to meet them. He can’t experience his True Love’s Kiss like this! His bread is still rising, for heaven’s sake! Hyunjin rushes to his dresser, scrabbling as silently as possible for the jar of berry dye he uses to tint his lips. The knight can’t know that he’s actually awake - they need to awaken him from his eternal slumber with a True Love’s Kiss. Oh, Hyunjin has _dreamed_ of this moment a million times. How he has _yearned_ for it! And at last, it’s finally here!

Hyunjin grabs the dried flowers from the vase by his bed, shaking them to get rid of loose petals. He runs the brush through his hair again, slaps his cheeks to get some colour in them and tugs at the strings of his shirt, loosening the laces to expose a tasteful sliver of chest. Hyunjin settles gracefully back onto his bed, lying prettily on top of the covers and gripping the flowers tightly. The bread can wait. It’s only rising, after all. He lets his eyes fall shut and listens impatiently for the sound of the knight arriving in his room.

Eventually, the knight climbs all the way up to his windowsill. Hyunjin hears a creak and a small crash as the knight hauls themself over the sill and onto the floor of the room. The knight heaves themself up and Hyunjin’s grip on the flowers tightens. Oh, this is so _exciting_! He’s getting rescued at _last_! It’s taking everything in him not to vibrate in excitement, trying to maintain the illusion that he’s in a deep, deep sleep and awaiting True Love’s Kiss to wake him up.

The knight advances a little. Hyunjin is almost trembling now. Why are they waiting? Why are they just standing there, watching him? Hyunjin has been waiting for _three years_ to be rescued, he _can’t wait_ any longer. Why don’t they come closer?

Finally, the knight takes a step forward. ‘Hyunjin,’ the knight says, sounding amused, and oh, Hyunjin _knows_ that voice. ‘It’s me.’

'Minho,' Hyunjin breathes, bolting upright and casting the flowers aside. 'It's about time, don't you think? I've been waiting _years_.' He swings his legs over the edge of the bed and turns to face Minho - or what he can see of Minho, considering the fact that he's still in his armour.

'Sorry for the delay,' Minho says, tilting his head so he can see Hyunjin better through the slit in his helmet. He's in _full armour_. He's Minho, and he's in full armour. Not simple squire armour, like he was the last time Hyunjin saw him, not only partial armour, full _knight_ armour. Minho is a knight now! While Hyunjin was languishing in his tower, Minho was becoming a knight! It's crazy what three years will do to someone, Hyunjin thinks. 'Your father wouldn't let anyone come to rescue you unless they'd won at least ten tournaments.' Minho shrugs, his pouldrons shifting with the movement.

'You're not Channie hyung's squire anymore?' Hyunjin asks. He can tell - he knows, by the way it's Minho climbing up his tower to get him, and not Chan, but it wouldn't hurt to have Minho confirm it.

'Nah. The King wasn't about to let a measly squire rescue his son. Didn't I tell you I'd rescue you? I promised, remember? And so,' Minho spreads his arms wide, before dropping to one knee and bowing his head, 'Sir Minho at your service, your highness.'

'Sir Minho,' Hyunjin hums, coming to stand in front of Minho. 'It's a pleasure.' He takes Minho's hand and hauls him back up. Hyunjin traces a finger over the plumes in Minho’s helmet. ‘I like your colours.’

‘And well you should,’ Minho snorts. ‘You were the one who chose them.’

‘I didn’t think you’d remember,’ Hyunjin shrugs.

‘Well,’ Minho says, shuffling his feet, ‘I did.’ When Minho speaks again, it’s quieter, calmer, almost a secret, hushed whispers for no reason, when they’re alone at the top of the tower. 'It's nice to see you again, Hyunjin.' Hyunjin is sure, even without being able to see Minho's face, that Minho's blinding grin is aimed at him. Maybe it's a good thing he can't see it, Hyunjin muses - at least this way, his knees won't be turned to jelly. 'Before we continue,' Minho says, squeezing Hyunjin's fingers. Hyunjin ignores the almost painful grip of the gauntlets. 'Is there a dragon or some other guardian I need to slay before I can take my armour off?'

'The warrior princess - I'm pretty sure my mother sent her, she's not really my father's style - who came to rescue me about a year ago fell in love with my dragon and took her back to their magical warrior island. It's a shame, too - we used to bake together.'

'She didn't rescue you at the same time?' Minho asks, affronted. His fingers tighten on Hyunjin's. 'Whyever not?' He sounds offended by the very thought of someone not wanting to rescue Hyunjin.

'It's especially funny-' Hyunjin giggles- 'because she would come back every two days to talk to her and get to know her better. So she had so many chances to pick me up and drop me off at home, and then come back to woo the dragon, but she just left me here.'

'Well, your tower is about a million miles away from the actual kingdom. I can see why she didn't want to make the trek there and back, honestly.' Hyunjin whacks Minho's chest playfully, shaking his hand after the hard metal of Minho's breastplate reminds him that there is a _reason_ people don't generally give knights friendly smacks unless they're _also_ in full armour. 'In any case-' Hyunjin can _tell_ that Minho is giving him that devastating grin again- 'it means that I get the honour of rescuing you, so. And if there's no dragon-' Minho rips his helmet off and casts it aside. Oh gosh, three years has done _nothing_ to dampen the knee-weakening properties of Minho's grin. Minho reaches for Hyunjin's hand again, taking Hyunjin's soft hand into his gauntleted one. 'My prince,' he whispers, dropping to one knee. His gaze doesn't stray from Hyunjin's as he drops his head over Hyunjin's hand and presses a kiss to his hand. 'My fealty, my loyalty. I am yours to command.'

'Sir Minho,' Hyunjin says, and his cheeks are splitting. He hasn't smiled this much in _months_. He pulls Minho up again and the smile Minho gives him is blinding. 'Thank you.'

'With that out of the way,' Minho continues, slipping his hand out of Hyunjin's, 'help me get this off?' He thumps the metal of his breastplate.

'Oh, is the armour too heavy for poor little Minho?' Hyunjin asks, laughter colouring the edges of his words. He starts unlacing Minho's pouldrons.

'Ah, that's not it, little prince,' Minho says, waggling his finger at Hyunjin but otherwise staying completely still as Hyunjin lifts the breastplate off him and moves to the vambraces. 'I'm very, very strong now, after coming first in all ten of the tournaments required to rescue you.'

'My knight in shining armour,' Hyunjin says, amused. 'Actually, this time. Did Chan hyung get tired of having you as his squire?'

'Hyung's been too busy staring wistfully after Seungmin as he tries to go about his day,' Minho says. 'He's been helping Seungminnie carry his bags of flour and things to the kitchen every day.'

'That's precious,' Hyunjin says.

'It is. Do you remember Jeonginnie? Changbin's apprentice?'

'Yes?' Hyunjin tugs the vambraces off and moves to the gauntlets. 'How is he?'

'He's the jester now! He kept making fun of people as they walked past, and eventually your mother asked him to officially be the jester.' As soon as Minho's hands are freed from his gauntlets, he takes Hyunjin's hand again, placing their palms flat against each other and lacing their fingers together. 'He's perfect for the position, don't you think?'

'Oh, definitely,' Hyunjin laughs, kneeling to get the greaves. 'I can't count the times he's made a joke at my expense, and I can't think of anyone who'd be better at it.'

'Oh!' Minho exclaims, hand flying to his mouth. 'I didn't tell you! Jinyoung hyung is back from his quest, he brought his betrothed back. They wanted to get married as soon as they were back but I convinced them to wait until you were back. I knew you'd be devastated to miss it.'

'You did?' Hyunjin pauses in his unlacing of the greaves to look up at Minho. 'Really? _Thank_ you.' After a few beats of silence, he continues, 'What about Yeji? Didn't they want to delay it for her as well?'

'Oh, right,' Minho laughs sheepishly. 'I know you wanted to be rescued first, and we tried, we really did - we even left Innie and Channie hyung behind when we left, so Ryujin and the others would think we hadn't left yet - but somehow they found out and Yeji was returned to the castle last week. It doesn't help that her tower was a three-days' ride from the castle and yours is closer to a month's. I'm sorry I couldn't get here faster.'

'Ah, that's okay,' Hyunjin stands up and grabs Minho's hand, swinging it. 'If Yeji is the one who gets the throne, that means less work for me, right? More time to spend with you and everyone else.'

'I suppose so,' Minho says, swinging their hands faster.

'How did you know she got back last week, anyway? Last week you would have been on the road, and I doubt they'd send a messenger to tell _you_.'

'Right!' Minho says, stopping their hands and grabbing Hyunjin's shoulders, shaking him a little. 'You'll never guess! Remember when we were all so sure that Felix is a faery, and he said he isn't? You'll never guess who turned up to tell us that Yeji got home. A _faery_. And what did she say to Felix? "Brother, I have news for you"! He's a faery! We were all _right_!'

' _What_?' Hyunjin _can't_ have heard that right - maybe his brains have been scrambled from how much Minho is shaking him? He can't have been _right_ , all those years ago! Minho doesn't let up on the shaking.

'Right? And you'll never guess what else - Jisung knew the whole time! Because they're True Loves! So Felix _told_ him! And you'll never guess what else - oh, lord, this is the most _disgusting_ thing, when I heard it I _knew_ I had to tell you, you're going to _love_ this - we asked Felix why he wasn't full of unearthly beauty like his sister, you know, _glowing_ and all that, and you'll never guess what he said! He said he only does that for Sungie! Isn't that the most _disgusting_ thing you've ever heard?'

'Oh gosh,' Hyunjin wheezes, grabbing onto Minho's shoulders to get him to stop shaking him. He's so dizzy that he collapses into Minho as soon as Minho stops shaking. 'Where do they get off being so unnecessarily adorable?' Minho gives him a choked cough of agreement as he hoists Hyunjin up and carries him gently to the bed. Huh. This is new. Minho couldn't just effortlessly lift Hyunjin up three years ago. As Minho sets Hyunjin down gently, Hyunjin thinks, _this is nice_.

'So,' Minho says, hovering over the edge of the bed next to Hyunjin. Hyunjin grabs his arm and pulls him down until Minho is sitting next to him. 'I think that's most of the news you missed. Changbin made you a surprise present but he's going to give it to you himself later.'

'Oh, right,' Hyunjin says, craning his head to peer around Minho and out of the window. 'Where are the others? Are they waiting at the bottom of the tower?'

'Ah - no,' Minho sighs. 'We ran into Robin Hood yesterday so they all went to steal Jisung's mother's jewellery back from him, and I rode on by myself, to come and get you.' Minho's gaze drops from Hyunjin's face to their hands, tangled together atop the blankets. 'I didn't want to wait a day longer,' he whispers, and he lifts Hyunjin's hand to press another kiss to the back of it.

'I'm glad you didn't,' Hyunjin says, lifting Minho's chin with a finger, so Minho can't look away. 'I missed you.'

' _Oh_ , I missed you too,' Minho breathes. They sit there for a while, just looking at each other, drinking each other in. How Hyunjin has _longed_ for this day - has longed to be back with his True Love - and now, he's finally back with Minho. What pure, unfiltered bliss it is to sit up in this tower, with Minho.

Eventually, Hyunjin tears his gaze away from Minho's and twists to look at his bread. 'Oops,' he says. 'My bread has risen too much. I should knead it again.'

'Oops,' Minho echoes, reaching for Hyunjin's hand. He holds both of Hyunjin's hands, lifting them up between them. 'Hyunjin,' he breathes, suddenly serious. 'It's later now; we're both older and wiser.' Hyunjin sucks in a breath, nods, waits eagerly for the next thing to come out of Minho's mouth. 'If I ask you again, will you say yes, this time?'

' _Oh_ ,' Hyunjin breathes. It takes everything in him not to collapse forward into Minho's arms. ' _Yes_ , of course, yes.' He reaches up to cup Minho's face, and Minho leans into his touch, gifts him a soft smile that has Hyunjin's heart beating a mile a minute. As Minho sinks one of his hands into Hyunjin's hair, and the other comes round to cradle Hyunjin's back, and Hyunjin slips his other hand to tangle in the hair at the nape of Minho's neck, Hyunjin whispers, 'I've waited _so long_ ,' and then-

And then, their lips are meeting and Hyunjin is _finally_ having his True Love's Kiss.

The bread can wait, Hyunjin decides.

**Author's Note:**

> pls ask me questions if you have any!! i had so many ideas i couldn't put in ;-; drop a comment pls i live off comments  
> i do have a seungsung in the works that should be done soon!! so you can look forward to that ig!!  
> have a great day everyone <3 stay safe, wear a mask, if you're a US citizen of legal age please vote


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